Manga like Piano no Mori

BLUE GIANT

Also known as Blue Giant.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Slice of Life

Dai lived a normal high school life in Sendai: a city of hot summer days and rainy nights. Between basketball, part time jobs, and an uncertain future, something was missing. And that thing was music. With his days in senior year running out, Dai swears a heartfelt vow: “I’m gonna be the best jazz player in the world.”

But what do you need to be the best? Talent? Effort? A lucky break? Or maybe just a deep, pure love for music, and too much stubbornness to know when to quit.



Notes: Nominated to the 22nd Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.

Tags: Seinen , Band , Male Protagonist , Jazz Music , Coming of Age , Bar , Primarily Male Cast , Primarily Adult Cast , Tragedy , Ensemble Cast

Nodame Cantabile

Also known as Nodame Cantabile.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Music , Romance , Slice of Life

The son of a famous pianist, music student Shinichi Chiaki dreams of studying abroad and becoming a conductor like his mentor. Unfortunately, his fear of flying grounds his lofty plans! As he watches other classmates achieve what he has always wanted, Shinichi wonders if he should quit music altogether. Then one day he meets fellow student Megumi Noda, also known as Nodame. This oddball girl cannot cook, clean, or even read a music score, but she can play the piano in incomparable Cantabile style. And she teaches Chiaki something that he has forgotten: to enjoy his music, no matter where he is.



Note: Includes four bonus chapters and the side story "NodaCan BS".

Tags: College , Primarily Adult Cast , Heterosexual , Josei , Musical Theater , Language Barrier , Tsundere , Work , Coming of Age , Otaku Culture , Ensemble Cast , Classical Music , LGBTQ+ Themes , Transgender

Kono Oto Tomare!

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Music , Romance

Since the graduation of the senior members of the club, Takezou ends up being the sole member of the "Koto" (traditional Japanese string instrument) club. Now that the new school year has begun, Takezou will have to seek out new members into the club, or the club will become terminated. Out of nowhere, a new member barges into the near-abandoned club room, demanding to join the club. How will Takezou be able to keep his club alive and deal with this rascal of a new member?

Tags: School Club , School , Band , Coming of Age , Ensemble Cast , Shounen , Bullying , Male Protagonist , Heterosexual , Delinquents , Tragedy , Primarily Teen Cast , Primarily Male Cast , Female Protagonist , Found Family , Estranged Family , Teacher , Nudity , Maids

Boku no Giovanni

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Music , Slice of Life

A young Tetsuou watched a performance by Giovanni Bazonni and was inspired to become a master cellist. But he knows that living as he is in an out-of-the-way Japanese island means his musical aspirations are unlikely to be realised.

One day, a boy named Ikumi comes to stay at Tetsuou's place. Ikumi is the sole survivor of an accident at sea, wherein he saved himself by swimming out to Tetsuou's island.

But he makes a surprising claim: he says he found his way to safety by following the sound of beautiful cello music, and is convinced that the player was Tetsuou.

Tags: Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , Josei , Band , Classical Music

Ao no Orchestra

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Music

Hajime Aono was a prodigy violinist until he grew jaded with playing the violin due to personal reasons. Now in his third year of middle school, he struggles to decide his academic path. One day in school, he meets Ritsuko Akine, a hotheaded novice violinist who wants to enroll in a high school with a distinguished orchestra club. When he finds himself getting closer to Ritsuko and being brought back to the world of violinists, time starts moving again for him.

This is the beginning of a youthful drama where sounds and hearts alike resound in harmony.

Tags: School , Musical Theater , Seinen , Rehabilitation , School Club , Heterosexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Classical Music

PPPPPP

Also known as PPPPPP.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music

Gakuon Otogami was a genius pianist whose name is among the greatest in the annals of the music world. He had seven children who also all became genius pianists. All seven except for the one named Lucky that is. This is the miraculous story of a regular kid taking on godly talent!



Tags: Twins , Musical Theater , Tragedy , Shounen , Male Protagonist , Revenge , Dissociative Identities , School , Primarily Teen Cast , Adoption , Bullying , Classical Music

Kimi no Tame ni Hiku Chopin

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Supernatural

Our protagonist, Aine, met Hiroshi by chance when she was very little, and she remembers even now how much fun she had listening to his piano performance. She has always dreamt of meeting him again, but when she does, he is called "The Piano Prince" and seems very hard to approach. And then, before her appears the spirit of Chopin himself! He will make the wheel of fate turn for the two main characters!

Tags: Josei , Classical Music

Kakukaku Shikajika

Also known as Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

High schooler Akiko has big plans to become a popular mangaka before she even graduates, but she needs to get much better at drawing if she ever wants to reach her goal. Looking for an easy fix, she signs up for an art class, thinking all her problems will soon be solved. She’s in for a surprise: her new instructor is a sword-wielding taskmaster who doesn’t care about manga one bit. But maybe this unconventional art teacher is just what she needs to realize her dreams!



Notes:
Kakukaku Shikajika is an autobiography detailing the life of author Akiko Higashimura.
The manga won the Grand Prize at the 8th Manga Taisho Award in 2015.

Tags: Drawing , Coming of Age , Otaku Culture , Teacher , Autobiographical , Josei , Female Protagonist , Tragedy , Non-fiction , College , Time Skip , Meta , Work , Writing , Primarily Adult Cast , Rural , Swordplay , Philosophy , Educational , Mopeds

Millefeuille no Hibi

Status: Finished
Genres: Slice of Life

Tags: No Dialogue , Work , Writing , Male Protagonist

Subaru

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological , Sports

A small five-year-old girl named Subaru no longer has time for friends and play. Why is this? Her twin brother Kazuma is dying...and gradually forgetting everything. Even Subaru. And so the girl visits him every day, talking with him and dancing for him, trying to make him remember her. And he always does by the end of the day. Encouraged by a friend to join ballet classes, the girl does so and falls in love with the dance.

Tags: Seinen , Dancing , Tragedy , Female Protagonist , Time Skip